Exhibit The Nature Exchange

Are you a collector of unique looking sea shells? Or interesting rocks? What about strange looking insects or colourful flowers?

Whatever your collection of choice may be, we invite you to trade your natural items at The Nature Exchange.

The Nature Exchange is a beautiful new gallery where you can become natural history researchers, simply by exploring your own backyards! Visit the Trading Centre, where you can analyze, discuss, interpret and catalogue your natural item. Trade your item to earn points. The more information you learn about your item, the more points you can earn!

Once you’ve accumulated enough points, you can use them to shop The Nature Exchange’s collection of natural items – each of them found in Alberta. Add something new and exciting to your home collection, like a small meteorite or even a amethyst stone!

The Nature Exchange encourages you to explore your surroundings when you’re in nature, to find something cool that intrigues you – like tree bark or pine cones; the list goes on! – and return to The Nature Exchange again and again to share information and make trades. Find something you can’t remove from nature, like a bird's nest, eggs, or living plants? That’s okay! You can trade drawings, photographs, or field notes about your discoveries instead to earn points. So, what are you waiting for? Get outside in nature and go explore!

Trading Desk Hours of Operations:

• 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Beyond the Trading Centre

The Nature Exchange gallery is a truly diverse experience, with an Animal Zone and the Field Station to discover. You can meet George and Badger, the sugar gliders; or Alphie, the corn snake, or even Shelob the tarantula! Next, participate in unique exhibits like identifying different trace evidence left behind by animals, or studying photographs taken at various Alberta Camera Traps. You can even use microscopes to study real samples, like compare carnivore teeth vs. herbivore teeth.

At The Nature Exchange, you become real natural history researchers.

The wilderness is at your doorstep!

Indigenous Teachings

Learn about the Indigenous culture through daily hands on crafts and teachings from a Land Based Navigator and Indigenous Education Specialist in our Northern Lights Indigenous Cultural Space located right inside The Nature Exchange Gallery.

The Nature Exchange is a learning experience unlike any other. Students become natural history researchers as they catalogue, interpret, analyze, interact and get hands-on with unique aspects of the gallery.

Students can:

• Meet our animals at the Animal Zone and discover what makes each creature special.
• Trade natural items at the Field Station and learn all about each one.
• Use real microscopes and other scientific tools to make observations, just like real scientists do.

Make the most of your class visit to The Nature Exchange by visiting in smaller groups throughout the day.

Best Curriculum Fit:

Grade 1:

• Topic D: Senses
• Topic E: Needs of Animals and Plants

Grade 2:

• Topic E: Small Crawling and Flying Animals

Grade 3:

• Topic A: Rocks and Minerals
• Topic E: Animal Life Cycles

Grade 4:

• Topic E: Plant Growth and Changes

Grade 7:

• Topic A: Interactions and Ecosystems

Grade 9:

• Topic A: Biological Diversity